1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to jack stands and more particularly pertains to portable telescoping stands for truck camper tops which may be used for facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under the elevated camper top.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of jack stands is known in the prior art. More specifically, jack stands heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removal of a camper top from a pickup truck are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for removal of a camper top from a pickup truck in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,089 to Slay discloses an extendible jack stand apparatus including first, second, and third normally vertical frames arranged in telescoping relationship, and containing a locking mechanism for automatically locking the first and second frames together while the third frame is being raised, locking the second and third frames together when the third frames is fully raised, and unlocking the first and second frames to allow extension of the second frame; conversely, the locking mechanism is automatically reversible as the jack is lowered, unlocking the second and third frames and relocking the first and second frames upon the second frame being fully retracted into the first, allowing the third frame to be fully retracted into the first and second frames. The invention disclosed is overly complicated and has a relatively high cost of manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,276 to Hamerl describes a jack stand having a mounting plate enabling the stand to be mounted to any standard hitch bar. A front leg is pivoted by the upper end thereof to the front of the plate and extends downwardly and rearwardly thereof, terminating in a curved ground engaging skid. Over-center linkage is pivoted between the skid and the mounting plate extending upwardly and rearwardly towards said mounting plate when in the extended position; a level action makes or breaks the over-center linkage thereby extending or retracting the jack stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,212 to Westwood discloses a jack stand for supporting hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical and electromechanical jacks such that the jacks will have greatly increased stability during the handling of heavy loads using the jacks; the stand includes a central broad platform interconnected with broad feet and a horseshoe collar spaced above the broad central platform and interconnected to the platform and to the spaced feet; means can be provided for closing the opening formed by the horseshoe collar to further support a jack positioned on the stand and within the collar, should this be deemed desirable.
Neither of the inventions disclosed above show a way to quickly and easily support a truck camper top.
The prior art also discloses a jack stand as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,658 to Binding comprising a hollow column supported in an upright perpendicular position by a base plate at its lower end with a post telescopically supported within its upper end for extension relative thereto and a saddle at the upper end of the post; a pin mounted in inclined slots in the column by engagement with one of a plurality of notches on the post holds the latter at a predetermined position of extension; the pin is movable in the slots from an operative position supporting the post to an inoperative position to allow the post to be moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the column and back to an operative position in engagement with a different notch; there is a secondary support in the form of a plate at the top of the column movable into engagement with another notch and there is linkage interconnecting the pin and plate such that movement of the pin into and out of operative position is accompanied by movement if the plate into and out of operative position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,012 to Miller shows a telescoping jack stand made of stamped metal parts with a pair of angularly extending legs which are pivotally mounted with respect to each other; the legs define an aperture between the legs with inwardly extending integral teeth; a central column member includes matching teeth and corresponding in shape and dimension with the aperture between the two legs; the central column includes recesses corresponding to the integral teeth of the legs; the legs are pivoted with respect to each other so that upon engagement of the teeth with the recesses in the column, additional load tends to pivot the teeth into greater engagement with the column and provide improved stability.
Both of the inventions described have base structures too small to provide good stability when used to support a truck camper top. Furthermore, the telescoping jack stand having pivotally mounted legs could subject a user to injury if one or both of the legs were inadvertently kicked inward during operation thereby causing the jack to unexpectedly retract.
In this respect, the portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under the elevated camper top.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved portable telescoping stands for truck camper tops which can be used for facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under the elevated camper top. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for facilitating removal of a camper top from a pickup truck. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.